Over 1Mln Cubans Immunized With Domestic Vaccines

More than 1 million Cubans have received at least one of the three doses of the homegrown COVID-19 vaccines Abdala and Soberana 02, both in the final phase of clinical studies, the director of science and technology at the ministry of public health said

HAVANA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st May, 2021) More than 1 million Cubans have received at least one of the three doses of the homegrown COVID-19 vaccines Abdala and Soberana 02, both in the final phase of clinical studies, the director of science and technology at the ministry of public health said.

"If we count, removing the people with placebo, all the people who have been inoculated with the Cuban vaccines in trials, intervention studies and health intervention, we already have 1,115,335 Cubans, who have been administrated at least one dose," Dr. Ileana Morales said Thursday on the Cubavision channel.

According to the official, 172,233 people were vaccinated during phase 3 of the Soberana 02 clinical trial, while 330,726 health and biopharmaceutical industry workers participated in the intervention study, and 612,376 Havana residents received the shots as part of the health response program in areas and groups of risk.

Morales specified that the vaccination process is a part of the trial to verify the efficacy of Soberana 02 and Abdala. She added that the participants in clinical trials and intervention studies expressed their willingness and consent to take part in them.

Cuban scientists are working on six vaccine projects. Three of them were developed at the Finlay Vaccine Institute - Soberana 01, Soberana 02, and Soberana Plus-, while the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology is leading the Abdala and Mambisa vaccine projects. In addition, China and Cuba are working together on a Pan-Corona vaccine candidate.

On May 7, the Cuban minister of public health, Dr. Jose Angel Portal, said that the country is going to immunize 22.6% of the population in June, 33.5% in July, and 70% in August.